The WSU Combined Core Facility Renovation Project proposal described herein outlines plans to upgrade significantly the Wichita State University (WSU) Department of Biology Core Lab Facility. The Labs comprising the Core were established as separate core laboratories 20 years ago by a Wesley Foundation grant. They have recently been reinvigorated and reorganized through the awarding of a 5-year NIH P01 Program Project entitled "The Aging Pituitary/Gonadal Axis" (1P01AG029531). This multi-investigator, multi-institutional program project is centered at WSU with Dr. George Bousfield as its PI and is focused upon the age-related changes in the expression of human FSH glycoforms and the differential biochemical and physiological properties manifest by these changes. Within the P01, three Core Lab functions are consolidated within overall Core B. These 3 functions include protein expression, protein purification and characterization, and protein functional analysis, which involve three fundamental disciplines, molecular biology, protein chemistry, and cell culture. These labs thus form the basis of the Molecular, Protein, and Cell Culture Cores. In addition, a departmental "common equipment room" housing many instruments utilized in the P01 Project has been re-designated as the Equipment Core. These four Core Labs have been organized functionally and administratively into the Combined Core Facility. This Facility now has defined organizational structure with an overall Core Facility Leader and Individual Core Lab Leaders supported in part by the P01 grant. The P01 grant represents the initial step towards the long-term goal of WSU scientists to establish a Center for Reproductive Aging (WSU CFRA). Central to efficient and successful progress of the P01 project and development of the Center is the renovation of the Core Facility and the upgrading of Core Facility equipment. The Core Facility is housed in the Department of Biological Sciences on the 4th floor of Hubbard Hall. Built in 1973, Hubbard Hall has seen neither major additions nor major renovations to the labs. Moreover, the labs were designed to meet the needs of the undergraduate teaching not research. The Combined Core Facility currently has numerous deficiencies that impact the ability to carry out efficient work and impair the ability of the Facility to support proposed increases in research activity. Deficiencies include: the poor condition of laboratory benches, cabinets, and sinks, lack of wireless Internet access, inefficient placement of power plugs, lack of emergency power for key pieces of equipment, inefficient lab space configuration, lack of eyewash/shower stations, inappropriate fume hoods, and inconsistent ADA compliance. Additional deficiencies reflect key Core Facility Equipment, which is uniformly 10-20 years old. The goal of this project is to remedy the above deficiencies through renovation of 23 areas comprising the 4 Labs comprising the Combined Core Facility and re-equipping the Labs. The proposed Core Facility renovations coupled with the procurement of Core Facility equipment will provide immense benefit that will: (a) ensure the success of ongoing projects defined within the P01 Program;(b) provide evidence of scientific commitment for anticipated renewal of the P01 in 2014;(c) provide a basis for expanded research efforts in terms of a new grant applications that directly relate to the P01;(d) provide continued and expanded support for current laboratory-based scientists both within the department and those affiliated with the department;and (e) provide support for the recruitment of new faculty into the department, some of whom will have research interests consistent with the focus of the P01 Program. The P01 Grant represents the largest investigator-initiated grant ever awarded to a WSU faculty member. This renovation proposal is intended to ensure completion of the P01 goals and allow expansion to facilitate support of research within the Department of Biological Sciences.